Smokers are being warned to take extra care putting out cigarettes and not to buy fake ones, after tests showed counterfeits are more likely to cause fires.

A smouldering cigarette can lay dormant for as long as six hours before sparking a flame, meaning fires can start in the middle of the night when people are asleep in bed.

Over the past year, four people have died in house fires in Norfolk compared to two in 2017 and there been 464 building fires across the county up from 433 in 2017.

Norfolk County Council’s Trading Standards team is also warning people not to purchase cheap cigarettes after several raids uncovered fakes which can increase the risk of fires.

Margaret Dewsbury, chairman of Norfolk County Council’s Communities Committee said: “Fake cigarettes do not self-extinguish and so elevate the risk of fire.

“Legislation around cigarettes ensures safety standards are maintained and people buying cheap cigarettes from illegal sellers cannot be sure of what they are buying.

“Counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes tested on behalf of our Trading Standards team failed fire safety testing, with counterfeit cigarettes in particular burning all the way down to the filter,” she said.

Over the last two years Norfolk Trading Standards Service has seized more than 1.4m illegal cigarettes and 170kg of illegal hand rolling tobacco.

Ms Dewsbury said Trading Standards would continue to make sure those caught selling counterfeits face the consequences in court: “We will continue to bring, offending traders before the courts. Convictions have resulted in prison sentences, fines and forfeiture of stock and have also led to unscrupulous traders having their alcohol licences revoked,” she said.